Switch for electric circuits.



. oi' a number of switches, as is Ji-"iiillS T. ROBE, Oll NRt/V XOR/K, hl. Y., f'xSSIGNOR TO THE Ml'lCllEul, 'riiitll CQiillANY, 0F SAME PLACE.

pplication tiled December 2l, 1899i Serial No. 741,084. (lio model.)

lo all whom it irl/ty concern:

13e it known that l, JAMES T. ROBE, a subject olf the Queen of Great Britain, residing at New York, (Flatbush) in the borough of Brooklyn and State of New York, have in Ivented a certain new and useful improvement in Switches for Electric Circuits, of which the following Ais a description.

My invention relates to various new and useful improvements in switches tor electric circuits; and the-invention is particnlarlyde signed for the purpose of controlling the circuit to a 'plurality of electric-lights or groups of'electriclights carried bya chandelier, the improved switch possessing the capacity oi permitting one or more of suoli lights or Q'ron .is of liolits to be brouclit into circnitor J n t:

ont ont therefrom, as niay be desired, Wheren by itbecomes :ossible to control a number oi' lights or groups of lights single switch instead of by the employment practice.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient switch for the purpose which can be constructed cheaply, which will be durable in use, and wherein a very pen feet snap action takes place, redncing'z'ircing to a minimum.

In carrying my invention into ellicct l provide a rotatable conducting ringl or disk with which one of th e main terminals is pref erably in constant connection-as, for instance, through a contact-sprlug-the said disk or ring being; so formed as to engage successively with a' series of contactnsprings connected to the several lamps or groups of lamps which it may be desiredito control, the arrangement beingq suoli that the said springs will be successively engaged and brought into the ciiuit and all of said springs will be 'in the circuit before theyr can be suecessively cut out. The said disk or ring,- is carried on a sleeve which surrounds a stein operated by a suitable thumbfpiece and which may project below the centra-l body of thc electric iixture or vice is employed in this specific Way. The

by means oi' aN new the nsnal chandelier when the sleeve tends to follow it. linniediafite movement of the sleeve is prevented, however, by means of a pawl which engages the teeth of a ratchet-Wheel carried by the sleeve, and

said pawl is adapted to be successively re to advance with a snap action under the ten-v sion of the spring.

in order that the invention may bo'fbetter understood, attention is directed tothe oef companying drawings. forming a part of this spcciiication, and in Which--.

Fi ure l is an elevation, Darth/.insee .A inw 1. l J

ofr portion ot' an electrolier of a common forni, showing,- Figli?, a vertical section, on au enlarged scale, of the improved switch Fig. 3, section on the line 8 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. fi, a section on the line e l of Fig'. 2, and Fig. 5 a section lon the line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

my invention applied theretog In all of the above views corresponding parts are .represented by the saine numerals of reference.

In Fig. l the chandelier is provided with the usual distribntingbody i, from which e3;- tendvthe arms 2, carrying the electric lights S: l illustrate the fixture as beingl provided with an ornamental globe Ll below the d istribnting-body, in which is placed my iinproved controlling-switch 5. In manyiornus of electroliers the globe is not used; but the canopy extends above and below the distribnting-body l, as indicated in dotted lines at G. TWith eiectroliers of this type the switch 5 will be placed Within said canopy, as will be understood, and will be preferably carried by the distributing-body.

My improved switch comprises a spindle '7,

which may be screw-threaded atits lower end and with which screw-threaded portion a .finger-piece S may engage. Si is a disk keyed to said spindle, said disk engaging a sleeve 1,0 of: a franie il, provided at its top with a Yoko m bridge l2.

having' a screw?" EOC 2 esseri threaded nipple 13, by means of which the switch may be engaged With the distributing body 1 et the eleetrolier or with any other suitable stationary clement, so as 'to be properly supported. A screw 1l engages the up per end of the spindle?v to hold the sarne in place.

represents a disk, of porcelain or other suitable insulating material, which is properly supported within the 4iraine 11as, for instance, by means of bolts 16, depending from the yoke 12.

Surrounding the spindle 7 is a sleeve 17, formed with a disk 1S at its lower end7 as shown. necting the disks 9 and 18 is a spiral spring lil. Secured to the disk 18 is a disk, of porcelain or other insulating material 20, which carries a conducting-ring 21. (Shown particularly in Fig. 5.) This conducting-ring is provided with a conducting portion 22, which extends not more than half-Way around the 'disk 18. The conducting-ring 2l is preferably in constant electrical connection with one 0l the. main terminals of the distributingbodyles torinstance, by means of a contact-Spring 23, supported from the insulating-body'l. A series of conducting-springs 2a are carried by the insulating-body l'and are adapted to be engaged by the conducting portion 22 as the disk 20. is rotated, whereby the circuit to one`or more lamps 3 or to one or more groups of lamps will be completed. When the conducting portion 22 is moved out ci engagement with the springs 241, the said circnitswi-ll be successively broken. In order and out of engagement with the conducting springs 24, l mount .upon the upper end of the sleeve 17, above the conducting-body, a ratchet-wheel 25, with which ratchet-wheel engages a tooth 26, carried on a spring-arm 27, secured, preferably, to one legl of the frame 11, `and I carry upon the spindle 7, immediately above said ratc'lictwheel, a starwheel or cam 28, with which a tooth 29, aise carried on the spring 27, engages. teeth ol the star-Wheel 28, which correspond in number to the teeth of the ratchetwvheel 25,' and the relation which said teeth bear to the teeth of the ratcliet-Wheel are such that when the spindle 7 is turned the spring 19 Willi be-placed under tension before the tooth 2S) has been moved to its full extent by means of one of the engaging teeth of the star-wheel or cam 2S, the movement of said tooth 2O be ing sufficient to Withdraw the tooth 2G from one of the teeth of the ratchet-wheel. 25, thus freeingthe sleeve 17 and permitting the spring 19 to advance the said sleeve forvard, where upon the tooth 29, having passed the operatlng-tooth of the star-wheel, will permit the tooth 26 to engage the succeeding tooth of the ratchetavhcel 25, thereby holding the sleeve against t'urther movement dueto the stress Mounted Within the boss 10 and eon-' The size of the of said springl lll, rlhe snap action which results from this operation takes place with such rapidity that arciug is reduced to a minimum.

Having new described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is vas (Follows:

l. In a switch, the combination with a spindle, el means lor nntnually turning the same, a sleeve concentric to said spindle, a spring connecting said sleeve with said spindle, contact devices controlled by the movement of said sleeve, a ratchet-Wheel carried by said sleeve, a paul engaging said ratchet-wheel for resisting the rotation of said sleeve, and means carried by the spindle for periodically releasing said pavvl, substantially as sot forth.

2. 'In a switch, the combination with a spindie, of means for manually turning the same, a sleeve concentric to said spindle, a spring connecting said sleeve with said spindle, contact devices controlled by the movement of said sleeve, a ratchet-wheel carried by said sleeve, a pawl engaging said ratchet-wheel for resisting the rotation 0f said sleeve, and a cam-Wheel carried by the spindle for periodically releasing said pawl, substantially as set forth. 1

` 3. In a switch, the combination with a spin dle, of means for manually turningthe same,

a sleeve concentric to said spindle, spring connecting said sleeve with said spindle, con

tact devices controlledby the movement of said sleeve, a ratchet-wheel carried by said sleeve', a paivl for engaging said ratchet'wheel f'or holding thesleeve normally against moveto provide for an effective snap action et the disk 20 to carry the conducting portion 22 into ment, a spring'carried by said pawl, a cam- Wheel carried by the spindle, and a tooth carj ried by said spring for engaging said camwheel', substantially as set forth.

4. In a switcli,the combination with a frame and a body of insulating material carried by said frame, of a spindle mounted in the frame, means for manually turning the said spindle, a sleeve surrounding the said spindle, cennections between said spindle and sleeve, an insulated disk carried by the sleeve, a contact-plate carried by said disk, contact-arms depending from the insulating-body for inaking contact With said contact-plate, and means for providing a snap movement of.' said disk upon the rotation 'of said spindle, substantially as set forth.

5. 1n a svvitcl1,the combination 'with a trame and a body of insulating material carried by said traine, efaspindle mounted in the lranxe, means for man ually tu rning the said spindle, a sleeve surrounding the said spindle, connections between said spindle and sleeve, an insulated disk carried by the sleeve, a contactLplate carried by said disk, contact-arms depending from the insulating-bodyfor makingleontact with said contact-plate, a ratchet- Wheel carried by the sleeve, a pawl engaging said ratcliet-wheel for preventing movement of said sleeve, and means operated by the spi na sleeve surrounding the said. spindle, con-- nections between said spindle and sleeve, an

elle for periodically disengaging' Said pawl to `allow a snap movement of the sleeve to take place, substantially as set forth. 1

6. In a switcl1,the combination with a. frame :md a body of insulating material oarriedby Said frame, of a, spindle mounted in the frame, means for manually turning the said spindle,

insulated disk carried by the sleeve, a con` tact-plate carried by Said disk, contact-n.1'msv depending from the ins11lating-bocly for mal:-

spindle for'periodioally releasing said parti, substantially aS set forth.

'This specioation signed and witnessed this 19th day of December, 1899.

JAMES T'. Ronin. 

